Episode 5 - Soren Aandahl

“The Wolf Den” hosted by Dan David

In this episode, Dan and The Pack visit with a friend of the show - Soren Aandahl from Blue Orca Capital.

Soren goes in depth about his family history, their missionary work in Asia, and how that experience contributed to his success as a short activist overseas. Soren talks about how his time at Harvard Law School led to an apprenticeship where he witnessed the Enron bankruptcy first-hand.

Soren tells us about his transition from law to finance, the origin story of Glaucus Research Group, and the move to his current firm, Blue Orca Capital. Finally, the former Kirkland & Ellis attorney shares some valuable lessons on contract negotiation.

Sit back, have a drink, and enjoy a conversation with Dan and The Pack as they go inside the world of the seldom interviewed short activist, Soren Aandahl.

4:08 - Soren’s global upbringing, his time in Canada, the U.S., and his deep familial connection with Asia.

15:45 - Soren talks about his time at Harvard Law School and how an apprenticeship got him a front-row seat to the legal aftermath of Enron's collapse.

33:40 - Getting the “last job on Wall St.” before the financial crisis and working insane hours during in his first year at Kirkland & Ellis.

50:50 – Soren's transition from law to finance, without any previous finance experience.

56:20 – Starting Glaucus Research Group and the story behind the name.

1:02:35 – Shorting China-based U.S listed companies and the legal “gray areas” that exist between the U.S. and China.

1:23:30 - Common misconceptions about short sellers, the grueling due diligence process Dan and Soren go through to protect investors, and the flaws of sell-side analysts and auditors.

1:47:30 - Who the top writers in the activist short space are and what differentiates their work from others.

1:52:40 - Dan and Soren’s tips for highly sensitive contract negotiations.